Jayson Falkner's Blog

January 2005 Archives

Blarg #12: "Copywright question"

Hi Jason,

I am approaching you with one question in my mind bothering my conscience. I 'd love to receive your comment on my question as being the writer of the book dealing with Java Servlets and JSP technologies. You and Kevin have written the book, so therefore for you guys the whole story.

I am preparing for SJWCD1.4 certificate and thru javaranch.com, one of certificate forums, I managed to find out about your excellent book. Actually I found there a direct link to one of the sites, where you can download the content of the whole book as a zip file. As unpacked, it will be pdf file.

As having the pdf file on my local computer, can I use for my own needs? In other reason, for preparing for the exam. I prefer reading it on paper so therefore I would like to hear your either approval or disapproval of the matter.

Yours sincerely

Thank you for asking. Personally, I am glad that you were able to get a copy of the book, and I encourage you to use it in whatever way is most helpful for your exam. If that means exclusively using the free PDF, go for it.

I joke about this issue quite alot, http://weblogs.java.net/blog/jfalkner/archive/2005/01/blarg_11_help_m_1.html, but honestly I care more that you find the book helpful rather than that you've paid for it. Although, as I point out in the blarg, the book is only $30. If you end up really enjoying the manuscript, please consider buying a copy. My publisher primarily tracks regular book sales, and the more of those I have, the easier it is to release a second edition of the text. FYI, my publisher is officially considering a second edition "later in 2005".

Good luck on the exam,
Jayson Falkner
jayson@jspinsider.com

Blarg #11: Help me print your book. I downloaded it for free.

Thanks for letting us to use and download your book "Servlets and JavaServer Pages: The J2EE Technology Web Tier", that is on TheServerSide.com.

I am wondering, if its free, why the print option is turned off in the pdf file? It is prohibited to print it? Hope you can answer me on this issue?

You are welcome! I almost completely forgot that the book is free if you register over at the TheServerSide.com, which is also free. Hopefully the next version of the book will be free, with no registration required. FYI, the first few chapters are completely free and printable at www.jspbook.com

Here are the links to those chapters: Chapter 1 and Chapter 2 and Chapter 3. Chapter 2 and 3 are two of my favorites. Great material if you are learning JSP or Servlets.

As for the print button thing. I have no part in disabling that, and I can't explain the mystery that surrounds e-books.

However, consider this. Printing 700+ pages requires a lot of paper, time, and ink. All of those cost money. For $30 you can buy a pre-printed copy of the whole book. Plus I get something like 15% on each sale. That is $4.50, which happens to be enough money to buy a wet burrito, on wet burrito day, at my favorite wet burrito joint. If you buy the book, I'll buy a wet burrito, and that way we all win. Plus, you'd be amazed at what some good food does to e-mail response times.

Thinking about it some more...I could swear that I've heard rumors of lots of different PDF reading programs. Some of which are not only free but can ignore the no-print option. I'd look in to it, but I think it is most appropriate that I support both my publisher, cheers AW, and TheServerSide.com, cheers guys. As blarg readers, please tell me what you think in my talkback!

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